Posts Tagged ‘comic books annapolis’

WHAT’S NEW @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 1/6/10

Hey gang! Here’s a full listing of new releases arriving at Third Eye this Wednesday! See something you just absolutely gotta have? Shoot us an email at thirdeyecomics@gmail.com, and we’ll be happy to set it aside for you!

• 28 DAYS LATER #5
• AMAZING SPIDER-MAN PRESENTS JACKPOT #1
• ANGEL HOLE IN THE WORLD #2
• ARCHIE & FRIENDS TP v.2
• ARCHIE DIGEST #260
• ATHENA #4
• ATOMIC ROBO TP v.3
• AUTHORITY #18
• BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #40 *Sam Keith art!*
• BLACKEST NIGHT WONDER WOMAN #2 *BLACKEST NIGHT*
• BLACKEST NIGHT WONDER WOMAN #2 VARIANT
• THE BOYS #38
• BPRD KING OF FEAR #1
• BRINGING UP FATHER FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA HC
• BUCK ROGERS #7
• CABLE #22 *HOMECOMING PT 2*
• CAPTAIN CANUCK v.2 HC
• CHILL HC *VERTIGO CRIME! THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL*
• CINDERELLA FROM FABLETOWN WITH LOVE #3
• CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #17
• DAFFODIL #1
• DAREDEVIL BORN AGAIN TP
• DARKNESS #82
• DEAD @ 17 SOURCEBOOK
• DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #897
• DINGO #2
• DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE v.32
• DONALD DUCK AND FRIENDS #349
• DOOM PATROL #6
• DRONE #2
• ESSENTIAL AVENGERS TP v.7
• FATE STAY NIGHT GN v.6
• FEMALE FORCE #10 J.K. ROWLING
• FORGETLESS #2
• FROM THE PAGES OF BRAM STOKERS DRACULA
• FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST TP v.20
• FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST TP v.21
• FVZA #2
• GIGANTIC #5
• GOD COMPLEX #2
• GREAT TEN #3
• GREEK STREET #7
• GRIMJACK MANX CAT #6
• HAUNT #4
• HAUNT #4 CAPULLO VARIANT
• HAUNT #4 MCFARLANE SKETCH VARIANT
• HERCULES KNIVES OF KUSH #5
• HORRORHOUND #21
• HOUSE OF MYSTERY #21
• HUNTER X HUNTER TP v.26
• I HATE GALLANT GIRL TP
• INVINCIBLE IRON MAN PREMIERE HC v.3
• JENNIFER LOVE HEWITTS MUSIC BOX #2
• JONAH HEX #51
• JSA ALL-STARS #2
• KILL AUDIO #4
• KING CITY #4
• KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #157
• KYO KARA MAOH GN v.5
• LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK HC
• MARVEL: THE LIST HC
• LITTLE ADVENTURES IN OZ BOOK 01
• MAD ABOUT SUPERHEROES TP v.2
• MARVEL BOY URANIAN #1
• MARVEL DIVAS TP
• MARVEL PREVIEWS #77
• MASS EFFECT REDEMPTION #1
• MICKEY MOUSE & FRIENDS #299
• THE MIGHTY #12
• MUPPET SHOW TREASURE OF PEG LEG WILSON TP
• NATION X X-FACTOR ONE-SHOT *NATION X*
• NEW MUTANTS #9 *NECROSHA*
• NEXUS ARCHIVES v.10 HC
• NIGHT OF THE BEDBUGS HC
• ORC STAIN #1 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY*
• PHANTOM DOUBLE SHOT #1
• PHANTOM JULIE WALKER
• POLITICAL POWER #4 RONALD REAGAN
• PREVIEWS #256 JANUARY 2010
• PRINCESS VALENTINE TP
• PROOF #25
• PUNISHER MAX GET CASTLE #1 ONE-SHOT
• QUEEN SONJA #3
• RED ROBIN #8
• RED TORNADO #5
• RESISTANCE SERIES 1 ACTION FIGURES
• RESURRECTION v.2 #6
• SAVAGE DRAGON #156
• SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL v.33
• SIEGE #1 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY!!!!!*
• SIEGE #1 COIPEL SKETCH VARIANT
• SIEGE #1 DELL’OTTO VARIANT
• SIEGE #1 QUESADA SKETCH VARIANT
• SIEGE #1 QUESADA VARIANT
• SIEGE: THE EMBEDDED #1 *SIEGE*
• SIEGE PRELUDE TP *SIEGE*
• SKY PIRATES OF NEO TERRA #4
• SOUL KISS HC v.1
• SPIDER-MAN NOIR EYES WITHOUT A FACE #2
• THE SPIRIT TP v.5
• STAR TREK SPOCK REFLECTIONS TP
• STAR TREK NEXT GENERATION GHOSTS #2
• STAR WARS CLONE WARS #12
• STARCRAFT GHOST ACADEMY GN v.1
• STARSTRUCK #5
• STUMPTOWN #2
• SUICIDE SQUAD #67 *BLACKEST NIGHT TIE-IN*
• SUPERMAN WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #11
• SWEET TOOTH #5
• TANK GIRL SKIDMARKS #2
• TERRY MOORE’S ECHO #18
• TERU TERU X SHONEN v.6
• THICKER THAN BLOOD #3
• TIMELY ANNUALS 70th ANNIVERSARY
• TITANS OLD FRIENDS TP
• TRANSFORMERS TALES OF THE FALLEN #6
• ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #6
• THE UNWRITTEN TP v.1 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY, ONLY $9.99*
• WALKING DEAD TP v.11 FEAR THE HUNTERS *THIRD EYE MUST BUY*
• WARLORD #10
• WASTELAND #27
• WEIRD WESTERN TALES #71 *BLACKEST NIGHT TIE-IN*
• WE KILL MONSTERS #6
• WILDSTORM AFTER THE FALL TP
• WILLIAM SHATNER PRESENTS TEK WAR #4
• WIZARD MAGAZINE #221
• X-MEN MUTANT MASSACRE HC
• X-MEN NOIR MARK OF CAIN #2
• X-MEN VS AVENGERS PREMIERE HC
• X-MEN VS. FANTASTIC FOUR PREMIERE HC
• YOUNGBLOOD TP v.2 VOTED OFF

The Third Eye Subscription Service

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Interested? Shoot us an email at thirdeyecomics@gmail.com, and we’ll tell you how to get started!

THE NEW CAPTAIN AMERICA REVEALED INCAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN: WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD ONE-SHOT THIS WEDNESDAY!

This is it, folks… is it going to be Steve Rogers rocking the Captain America duds again, or is it going to be Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier? The question to this, and many other things surrounding the epic, sweeping story that Brubaker has laid out with REBORN are answered this Wednesday.

Now, you’re probably wondering “How come this is coming out before CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN #6?” Well, there’s two answers to that. The first is that Marvel has pegged this as a pre-emptive epilogue to REBORN. The other answer is that the incredible art of Bryan Hitch tends to make the man run slow, and REBORN #6 should’ve been out by now. From what Marvel has told us though, reading this issue before Cap Reborn #6 doesn’t mess with the sequence too much.

Anyways, I am very excited about this one, because not only have I been enjoying Brubaker’s REBORN storyline, but his entire run on Captain America in general has been some of the best comic reading on the shelves. So, needless to say, I’m pretty stoked to see how this one follows up, and nears it’s conclusion.

And, ontop of all that… this could possibly be (like it’s no secret) the Return of Steve Rogers as Captain America! If you would’ve told me I’d be pumped about that in 1999, I would’ve been hard-pressed to believe you. While I respect the iconic nature of Cap, and some of the great stories of the past that’ve been told with the character (my personal pre-Civil War Cap story being Mark Waid and Ron Garney’s incredible run on the series), I just never really saw that many stories that stood out with the character. In my opinion, it took the influence of Millar’s characterization of Cap in THE ULTIMATES, and then, his 616-characterization in CIVIL WAR, to really get me into the character. Luckily, right around the same time that CIVIL WAR was happening, a (at the time) unknown writer by the name of Ed Brubaker was spinning some very gritty, hard-nosed espionage-fused stories with Cap. And, I’ve been a fan of the character ever since.

Who Will Wield The Shield is kind of a summing up of the last decade of Captain America stories. And, I hate to admit, that this is probably where the road to the end of Brubaker’s run begins. Although, I could be wrong. Anyways, it looks like we’ll be seeing the big decision made between who will be wearing the mantle of Captain America… Steve Rogers, or Bucky Barnes. The thing that makes this so exciting is that the development of Bucky as a character over the course of the last 50-some issues of Brubaker’s run has been some of the best character development of a comic character I have ever seen. And, to be honest, while I’m excited to see how things play out with Rogers, I really would be sad to see Bucky not be Cap.

And, then of course, there’s those spoiler pages in the back of DARK AVENGERS and NEW AVENGERS ANNUALS from the last couple of weeks… but, are we convinced that’s who it appears to be? And, that all is what it seems? I guess we’ll find out all the answers this week in WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD.

Click here for a preview of CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD one-shot

And, for those of you who haven’t been following Brubaker’s run on Cap, I want to give you the skinny on where it begins, and why it’s been so damn good. He manages to combine elements of old school pulp fiction with a 21st century spin with the feel of old ’70s and ’80s exploitation movies. Brubaker’s Cap run has been a high-quality superhero book with a definite espionage by way of grindhouse kind of feel to it.

Where to start? CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER VOLUME 1 TRADE PAPERBACK – This trade collects the first six issues of Brubaker’s run, and begins the series with a bang by re-introducing the long-thought dead Cap sidekick, Bucky Barnes. Of course, as we learn through the course of the story, Bucky’s history is  not what we thought, and his re-appearance has him as a conflicted, hardened soldier with a mission to kill Steve Rogers. From, there the story follows in CAPTAIN AMERICA WINTER SOLDIER VOLUME 2, CAPTAIN AMERICA RED MENACE 1 & 2, and so on, and so forth.

Why It’s So Good? Brubaker has managed to take the history of the Captain America series, including all of it’s somewhat B Movie-esque supervillains, and fuse it with a modernistic, 21st century espionage-fueled approach that’s had us on the edge of our seats ever since. Brubaker re-introduced Cap’s wholesome teen sidekick, and revealed his history as a cold-blooded black ops killer, then he killed Captain America himself, and put the reformed Bucky in the costume. All the while, he’s effortlessly blended old with new, and managed to tell one of the most compelling Marvel stories we’ve seen. The grindhouse feel he gives to Cap’s bigger than life supervillains (like Arnim Zola… a robot with a giant face in it’s chest) has given Cap a solid rogue’s gallery to go to bat against.

THREE BIG BLACKEST NIGHT TITLES THIS WEEK! GREEN LANTERN #49 DELIVERS ANOTHER CRUCIAL CHAPTER OF BLACKEST NIGHT!

It’s a good week for Blackest Night, folks, with three killer titles hitting the shelves of Third Eye carrying the Blackest Night banner. And, as we’ve already seen nearly everything tying into DC’s Blackest Night has been high quality reading material.

The biggest of the three, of course, is the newest issue of GREEN LANTERN with GREEN LANTERN #49. The Green Lantern monthly title has been almost as essential as the Blackest Night mini-series itself, written by Blackest Night writer Geoff Johns, and filling in the gaps between issues of the core mini-series, each issue of this title has done a great job of moving the story along and explaining all the stuff that can’t be fit into the core Blackest Night book. This week, we get to see John Stewart’s role in the Blackest Night, and it’s impact on him. John Stewart has always been one of my favorite Lanterns, and the whole GL spin on his past as US Marine is pretty freaking cool. Plus, we haven’t seen a lot on him yet in Blackest Night, and it will be cool to see some more attention put on the character.

Next up, we have the first issue of one of those killer 3-issue limited Blackest Night miniseries that have been so good, and that’s BLACKEST NIGHT JSA #1. I’m really excited about this one, for a couple of reasons. First off, I really love the Justice Society, and secondly, I really dig Wesley Dodds, the Golden Age Sandman. Also, the fact that a killer creative team consisting of James Robinson (Starman, Justice League Cry for Justice), and one of DC’s rising star artists Eddy Barrows, along with the addition of classic Kyle Rayner-era Green Lantern writer Ron Marz, makes this one an exciting book to look out for.
From the looks of the preview, and the solicits, it looks like we’ll be seeing a ton of dead JSA and JSA-related characters. Wesley Dodds, the Golden Age Sandman, of course is pretty awesome (for those of you who haven’t read it before, I highly recommend the entire run of SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATER), and I’m hoping we’ll see Ted Knight, Al Pratt, and more. Anyways, we’ll be seeing the ultimate in the heroes of today fighting the heroes of yesteryear, with Dr. Midnite vs. Dr. Midnite, Mr. Terrific vs. Mr.Terrific, Sand vs. Wesley Dodds, and more. Plus, you know Golden Age Green Lantern, Alan Scott, will be playing a big role in this, and it’ll be interesting to see where he fits into things (since his backstory and character is a tad different than most of your Green Lanterns).
Click here for the preview of BLACKEST NIGHT JSA #1

Finally, to round things off, we’ve got the Teen Titans #78, which admittedly, isn’t as quite as highly anticipated as the other two, it still looks like it should follow-up on Teen Titans #77 *Blackest Night* (which was very solid, and still in stock here at Third Eye) pretty well. The thing that’s exciting to me the most about this issue is that it’s featuring a pretty sweet team-up between Deathstroke (one of my favorite DC characters), and his daughter Ravager, and of course, we know that means only one thing: they’re gonna be hacking and slashing through a mountain of Black Lanterns. And, we all know that Ravager and Deathstroke have their fair share of fallen foes, and family that’ll be rising up as Black Lanterns to dish out some ass-whippings.

AVENGERS INITIATIVE #31 *SIEGE*FEATURES SPECIAL SIEGE TIE-IN! ANOTHER DOSE OF SIEGE TO PREPARE YOU FOR THE BIGGEST MARVEL EVENT SINCE “CIVIL WAR”

The Road to Siege began with a bang a few weeks ago in the pages of SIEGE: THE CABAL, and now you can fill in another piece of the puzzle with this week’s AVENGERS INITIATIVE #31, tying into SIEGE: THE CABAL. This is where it’s explained why Taskmaster is now seated upon the Cabal, and shows Osborn’s offer, and proposals to this often overlooked (but still, badass) Marvel villain.

And, meanwhile, on the Initiative end of things.. the Initiative gets called upon to assault an enemy that’s carrying some heavy duty power. Could that enemy be Asgardian?

Clickhere to read a preview of AVENGERS INITIATIVE #31

LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME #1ARRIVES FROM RADICAL (PUBLISHERS OF FVZA, CITY OF DUST, ect) from THE WRITER OF FEAR AGENT & PUNISHER – ONE WEEK TO COMMIT THE LAST CRIME IN AMERICAN HISTORY!

Here’s a cool one I got an advance copy of last month, and really dug. Rick Remender (writer of cult favorite FEAR AGENT, and the current Punisher run featuring Frankencastle) has made this one his new pet project, and it reads AWESOME. A great, gritty noir-influenced style of artwork matched with some fast-paced, tense storytelling make this one a very fun read.

What’s the plot? In the not too distant future, the government basically plans to transmit a secret signal that will make it impossible for anyone to knowingly commit a crime. After the complexity of crimes like identity theft, and the rates of terrorism, this is their answer to preventing things from getting worse.

And, that’s where our hero comes in to play, Graham Brick, a low-life career criminal who’s never gotten a break. And, now, he finally comes on a killer way to make the heist that’ll set him up for life. Of course, it’s announced by the media that in just one week they’ll be transmitting that whole Anti-Crime signal, and this leaves Graham with a problem: he has only one week to commit the last crime in American history.

It’s as fun as it sounds, folks, and I’m already itching to see the next one. You can click here to read a preview of LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME #1

FALL OF HULKS GAMMA ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY FEATURING ARTWORK BY JOHN ROMITA JR!

Fall of Hulks ALPHA kicked things off with an awesome, old-school feeling origin story of the Intellectia, a gathering of assorted Marvel mad scientists, ranging from obscure characters like Egghead and the Mad Thinker to big baddies like the Leader, and Dr. Doom. And, now, this week, the other half of that arrives in the pages of FALL OF HULKS GAMMA! Before, I go any further…

IT’S JOHN ROMITA JR… DRAWING THE HULK. NOT JUST THE HULK. BUT LOTS OF HULKS! What more could you want?

Seriously though, it’s not often that I get excited by the artist alone that’s attached to a book, but Romita JR was born to draw BIG. His run on Thor with Dan Jurgens in the ’90s was great, and trust me, it wasn’t because of Dan Jurgens. And, his later work on Hulk was also awesome. But enough of my fanboy freakout over Romita JR, lets get onto just what you can expect this week out of FALL OF HULKS GAMMA.

This finishes up the set-up for the biggest Hulk storyline since World War Hulk, and leaves the stage set for the Fall of the Hulks. We don’t know much, but what we do know is that a certain Hulk’s death sets the entire Hulk family of characters into an unstoppable rage, and could really dish out some serious havoc for the rest of the Marvel Universe.

For those of you keeping track, here’s a quick run down of what’s out in the line of FALL OF THE HULKS so far:
FALL OF THE HULKS ALPHA – still in stock at Third Eye
HULK #18 - still in stock at Third Eye
and now..
FALL OF HULKS GAMMA – in stock at Third Eye this Wednesday 12/23/09

CHEW #7 CONTINUES THE BEST NEW SERIES OF 2009!  THE QUIRKY ADVENTURES OF A COP THAT EATS HUMAN REMAINS! GET THE TRADE WITH 1-5 for ONLY $9.99

CRIMINAL: THE SINNERS #3 HITS THE SHELVES THIS WEDNESDAY! THE BEST COMIC YOU’RE NOT READING! FIND OUT WHY CRIMINAL IS A MUST-READ! ISSUES #1 & #2 STILL IN STOCK!

CRIMINAL is flat out the best crime comic I think I’ve ever read. And, that’s a tall order, because crime noir has been pretty well-represented in the world of comics over the past couple of decades. I mean, I loved me some Sin City, and 100 Bullets, but nothing tops CRIMINAL. Criminal is more than just a comic book, it’s an experience. When a new issue comes out, I can spend a good thirty minutes sunk deep within it. Every page, every panel, is packed with so much atmosphere, and storytelling that it really accomplishes that rare feat of sucking you into another world and not letting go.

The alchemy of art and story from Brubaker and Phillips pulls you in, and doesn’t let go.. and just when the story ends, leaving you on the edge of your seat… you’re still left with a good four to six pages of awesome back-matter to read about crime noir. A lot of times, Brubaker has guest-writers come in, and talk about their favorite aspects of genre fiction. Guys like Patton Oswalt rapping about their favorite crime movies from the ’60s just makes the entire package better.

And, folks, this is a book you do NOT want to wait for trade on. The back-matter does not get reprinted into the trades, so you are really missing out on the whole experience.

Seriously, there are very few books that I will proclaim universally as something everybody should be reading, but CRIMINAL is most definitely one of those books.

Now, I’ve sung it’s praises more than enough, you’re probably wondering just what the hell CRIMINAL is all about?

Each story arc of CRIMINAL is self-contained to 4-6 issues. While the characters all exist within the same world, you can read CRIMINAL in any order you please. This means that the current arc, THE SINNERS, is a perfect entry point for those of you who haven’t yet read CRIMINAL. The shared world thing is just a part of what makes CRIMINAL so cool, as it’s neat to see a background character you barely notice in an earlier story become a prominent figure in a later story (as was the case with “Bad Night”). The current arc, the SINNERS, is all about someone who is killing off “made men”.. criminal power-players, if you will, who should otherwise be untouchable. And, since the underworld can’t exactly go to the police, they bring in enforcer Tracy Lawless to investigate things. A conflicted man who doesn’t even want to be working in this world in the first place.

The characterization in this book is so sharp, that by the time you finish the first issue, you’ll feel like you’ve known Lawless all your life. And, with the developments of CRIMINAL: THE SINNERS #2, I personally can’t wait to see where things are going in issue #3 this week.

If you haven’t yet read CRIMINAL, we’ll the previous two issues, in addition to issue #3, well-stocked this week, to make it easy on you to catch up. Don’t miss out on one of the best series of this decade.

Click here to read a preview of CRIMINAL: THE SINNERS #3

“THE BOYS”, “PREACHER”, & “CROSSED” WRITER GARTH ENNIS’S BATTLEFIELDS: HAPPY VALLEY #1 BRINGS US MORE OF ENNIS’S GRUELLING, BLOODY WAR STORIES! IF TARANTINO’S “INGLORIOUS BASTARDS” WAS A COMIC, THIS WOULD BE IT!

He’s taken superheroes to their darkest extremes in THE BOYS. He’s given a whole, twisted new meaning to survival horror in CROSSED, and he’s written countless other epics (including the legendary PREACHER series)… Garth Ennis is a man who knows how to do comics right. But, there’s one thing, that’s a personal labor of love for him, and it really shows. Some of his best material happens to fall under the genre of war stories, and Ennis manages to tell some of the most brutal, well-paced, yet accessible war stories you could think of.

This go around, he’s back with a brand new series called BATTLEFIELDS: HAPPY VALLEY, and the first issue debuts this Wednesday. The year is 1942. And a young Australian Ken Harding arrives in London, anxious to play his part in the aerial bombing of all those Nazi bastards. Losses are high, and morale is low, but our hero remains unphased until he meets his crew: a foul-mouthed, battle-hardened gang of guys who take no prisoners. And, now they’re headed to the heavily guarded industrial heartland of Ruhr, known to the fighter pilots as Happy Valley.

We’ve seen Ennis’s previous war stuff, and it’s always dripping with blood, and realism, while at the same time keeping in habit with his knack for strong characterization, and sense of dark humor.

If you’re a fan of the Boys, Crossed, or any of Ennis’s other work, we HIGHLY recommend giving his war stuff a shot this week with Happy Valley.

Click here for a preview of GARTH ENNIS’S BATTLEFIELDS: HAPPY VALLEY #1

THOR #605 – DR. DOOM VS. THOR! ASGARDIANS TURNED INTO HORRIBLE CYBORG MONSTROSITIES! THE NEW DIRECTION OF THOR IS AWESOME!

First off, if you missed issue #604 of THOR, you need to pick it up, and hop aboard the current arc of Thor, cause it’s SMOKIN’! We were pretty skeptical about how well the new creative team would do following up a major act like JMS, but they picked up the ball and ran with it, kicking off a brand new story arc that’s bringing all the cool Dr. Doom/Asgard connections to full culmination. If you did miss THOR #604, don’t worry, because we still have it in stock here at the shop, in limited quantities, so you can still hop aboard the monthly series with only two issues to catch up.

As for what’s to expect this week in the newest installment of THOR.. simply put.. it’s DR. DOOM versus THOR in a throwdown that’s sure to be epic. #604 ended with Doom’s Asgardian cyborg hybrid monstrosities coming into plain sight, and then.. a certain God of Thunder appearing on the horizon to deal out some righteous justice.

Click here for a preview of THOR #605

IMAGE UNITED #2 ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY, AND CONTINUES THE HIT NEW SERIES THAT KEEPS SELLING OUT! FIND OUT WHY THIS LIMITED SERIES PENNED BY ROBERT KIRKMAN (WALKING DEAD, HAUNT) & ILLUSTRATED BY ALL THE IMAGE FOUNDERS IS A HIT! #1 STILL IN STOCK AT THIRD EYE!

The first issue of IMAGE UNITED went to a second print almost immediately, and it looks like the second issue will be going to as well. But, worry not, folks, we’ve got PLENTY of copies of IMAGE UNITED #2 coming in this Wednesday, and trust us, you’re gonna wanna give it a look. It’s actually pretty damn cool what they’ve accomplished with IMAGE UNITED, combining the talents of all the classic IMAGE founders on one book written by Robert Kirkman.

So, here’s how it works: Spawn appears in the book.. McFarlane draws him. Witchblade appears. Silvestri draws her. Get the idea? The book itself was a fun read, and is an action-packed nostalgic joyride for anyone who grew up reading comics during the IMAGE era in the ’90s. Bigger than life, with a well-paced story from Robert Kirkman, and tons of killer arrt, IMAGE UNITED is a blast.

Of course, the big reveal at the end of issue #1 was pretty cool… the villain of the series? Al Simmons, you know, the original Spawn, the guy we all remember from back in the day. And, yes, that’s him above with the horns. See, it looks like ol’ Al has found that destiny they always eluded to in those issues of Spawn way back in the day, and now he’s out to wreak havoc on the entire Image universe.

All in all, it’s not a plot-heavy book, but IMAGE UNITED is a blast, and provides a fun read, and a fun trip down memory lane for a lot of us who grew up reading comics in the ’90s. If you need us to put a copy in your box, just shoot us an email!

Oh, and if you missed out on issue #1, don’t worry.. we had a feeling it’d be a hit, and still have a decent amount of issue #1 hanging out here at the store for you to catch up with.

THIRD EYE ASKS “ARE YOU READING?” ABSOLUTION FROM AVATAR PRESS.. THINK ROBOCOP MEETS DEXTER

Here’s one that I wanted to spotlight because I feel that it’s an AWESOME series that’s continuing to fly under the radar here at Third Eye. While issue #5 ships this Wednesday, and I’m stoked about that, I wanted to take a moment to give an overview on the whole series and why I’m digging it so much.

First off, the story of Absolution is set in a world where “vigilante police forces” have been established. Basically, special police departments equipped with superhuman abilities to handle crime in the most extreme ways possible, HOWEVER, they are still required to uphold the same code of ethics as any other law enforcement official… in other words.. they can’t go around making dude’s heads explode.

And that’s where our (anti)hero comes in. John Dusk is one of these special police officers who has crossed the line from law officer to serial killer, albeit, of criminals. In the first issue, we’re led to believe that Dusk has seen many horrors before making this decision, and it culminates in him letting a rapist murderer die of blood loss.

From there, after getting his first taste of justice, he begins leading a double life, compulsively executing criminals, and evil men.

This series has all the makings of a modern day take on the age-old tale that stories like Robocop (but without the trademark satire), Judge Dredd, and more have explored. It kind of reminds you a little of DEXTER, mixed with a world of superhumans.

Plus, the art just gets better and better with every issue! We currently have all issues of ABSOLUTION instock here at Third Eye for you to catch up, otherwise, I’m sure those of you already reading the series are pumped for issue #5 this Wednesday!

HELLBOY: BRIDE OF HELL ONE-SHOT GIVES US A STRONG DOSE OF HELLBOY AND MIKE MIGNOLA TO END THE YEAR!

Nobody does creepy, mythology-rich horror comics like Mike Mignola. Nobody! I’ve been a Hellboy fan since I was just a snot-nosed kid in a Cramps t-shirt, and I gotta tell you, it’s only gotten better since then. This week, we get a nice little Christmas gift in the form of a Mignola-written one-shot with Richard Corben art. If you just want a good Hellboy story, done in one, then this one’s a gotta-read. Or, if you’ve never read a lot of Hellboy before, then now’s your chance to give it a try!

In BRIDE OF HELL, a young girl has been kidnapped and Hellboy’s tracked her down to rural France, where she’s about to be sacrificed to Asmodeus. This one’s definitely a pulpy, weird tale filled with love gone wrong, demonic revenge, ghosts, and the tombs of King Solomon.

Click here for a preview of HELLBOY: BRIDE OF HELL

IRREDEEMABLE #9 & IRREDEEMABLE VOLUME 2 TRADE PAPERBACK ARRIVE THIS WEDNESDAY TO FILL YOUR “SUPERMAN GONE EVIL” FIX!

Are you reading IRREDEEMABLE yet? If you’re not, you really should be. It’s one of our big favorites here month in and month out, and is one of the most well-written superhero books coming out right now.

We’ve got a double dose of IRREDEEMABLE this week for you, with both the 9th issue hitting (which continues from the epic reveals of issue #8), and the second volume of the IRREDEEMABLE trade paperback, which collects issues #5-8.

Why should you be reading IRREDEEMABLE? First off, the book practically pulsates with an insane post-modern 21st century comic book energy. It’s the story of the Plutonian, your standard Superman arch-type, who has gone mad, and started slaughtering the world around him. Basically, it’s SUPERMAN gone EVIL, and it’s great.

Why is it so good? The reason why it reads so well is because the series writer, Mark Waid (the man who did KINGDOM COME), is quite possibly the biggest SUPERMAN fan… in the world. He loves SUPERMAN, he loves the world of SUPERMAN, and he gets the character almost better than anyone else. And, this, this is what it takes to write a well-done take on what would happen if the Man of Steel went wrong? And, what did it take to get him to that point? Because Waid is such a fan of Superman, and his history, he is able to make all those little details that most writers would miss, count.

I don’t know, there’s a certain kind of electric excitement I get when I pick up a new issue of IRREDEEMABLE (and now the companion series, INCORRUPTIBLE), where I know I’m going to be thrust into a world of superheroes that SHOULD be cookie-cutter, but aren’t. They’re more fleshed-out, and three-dimensional than most characters that’ve been around for years.

Simply, put IRREDEEMABLE rules, and you need to check it out! The first trade paperback is only $9.99, and we can either catch you up in the single issues, or you can just follow up with Volume 2!

STAFF PICKS

Trish – Green Lantern Corps #43 – I made this my pick just because of the fact that it was such a fun read, and it was so easy to get into, even though I’m not as familiar with the Green Lantern Corps as Steve or Torma. I do like Guy Gardner, and seeing him running around ripping off arms, and kicking ass was AWESOME.

Torma – Dark Avengers #12- TOTAL MAYHEM! The best issue of DARK AVENGERS yet. They finally do something awesome with the Sentry, and it is bigger than life. There’s a great final page splash that gives a nice reference to what’s coming in SIEGE!

Steve – INCORRUPTIBLE #1 – Man, am I easy to read or what? I was hyped for this one like hell, and it totally lived up to the hype. Incorruptible takes everything you always THOUGHT a sketchy, shady supervillain would do… and makes it happen.. and then shows how tricky his road to redemption is. A great read for Irredeemable fans, and non-fans alike.

WHAT’S NEW @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 12/16/09

• AIR #16
• AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #615 *THE GAUNTLET PT 4 – ENER SANDMAN!*
• AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #615 QUINONES VARIANT
• AMAZING SPIDER-MAN PRESENTS ANTI-VENOM #3
• AMORY WARS TP v.2 SECOND STAGE TURBINE
• ANGEL #28
• ASTONISHING X-MEN #33
• AUTHORITY THE LOST YEAR #4
• BATMAN #694
• BATMAN 80 PAGE GIANT #1
• BATMAN ARKHAM ASYLUM SPECIAL
• BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #39
• BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM #7
• BLACK PANTHER 2 #11
• BRAVE AND THE BOLD #30
• CABLE #21 *Homecoming Chapter 1 – the Conclusion to Messiah Complex begins here!*
• CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN #5
• CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN #5 FINCH VARIANT
• CHIMICHANGA #1 *FROM ERIC POWELL, CREATOR OF THE GOON*
• COMPLETE ALICE IN WONDERLAND #1
• DAREDEVIL #503
• DARK AVENGERS #12
• DARK WOLVERINE #81
• DARKNESS/PITT #3
• DEAD AT 17 AFTERBIRTH TP v.1
• DEAD KINGDOM OF FLIES TP
• DEADPOOL MERC WITH A MOUOTH #6
• DEADPOOL TP v.2 DARK REIGN
• DOCTOR VOODOO AVENGER OF SUPERNATURAL #3
• DOCTOR WHO ONGOING SERIES #6
• DOCTOR WHO ONGOING SERIES #6 VARIANT
• ESCAPE FROM WONDERLAND #3
• ESCAPE FROM WONDERLAND #3 VARIANT COVER
• EX MACHINA #47
• FABLES #91
• FARSCAPE ONGOING #2
• FEAR AGENT TP v.5 I AGAINST I
• FINDING NEMO REEF RESCUE TP
• FORGETLESS #1
• FRINGE TP
• GELASKINS DARK HORSE COMICS IPHONE SKINS (featuring the art of The Goon, Hellboy, Umbrella Academy, Buffy, and more!)
• GHOSTBUSTERS DISPLACED AGGRESSION #4
• GI JOE #13
• GI JOE #13 VARIANT
• GIANT SIZE GRIMM FAIRY TALES HOLIDAY SPECIAL
• GIANT-SIZE GRIMM FAIRY TALES HOLIDAY SPECIAL VARIANT
• GOON TP v.6 CHINATOWN
• GRAVEL TP v.2 THE MAJOR SEVEN
• GREEN ARROW/BLACK CANARY ENEMIES LIST TP
• GREEN LANTERN CORPS #43 *BLACKEST NIGHT – GUY GARDNER – RED LANTERN!*
• GREEN LANTERN CORPS #43 VARIANT
• HELLBLAZER #262
• HULK #18 *FALL OF HULKS PROLOGUE*
• HULK #18 MCGUINNESS VARIANT
• HULK #18 SANTA MCGUINNESS VARIANT
• INCORRUPTIBLE #1 *FROM THE CREATORS OF IRREDEEMABLE!* THIRD EYE MUST BUY
• INCORRUPTIBLE #1 INCENTIVE COVER
• JLA TROPHY ROOM GREEN LANTERN RING DISPLAY
• JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #156
• JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #40 *BLACKEST NIGHT*
• KOOKABURRA K #2
• LAST RESORT #5
• LOCKE & KEY CROWN OF SHADOWS #2
• LOCKE & KEY CROWN OF SHADOWS #2 VARIANT
• MANGALICIOUS TICK #4
• MARVEL ILLUSTRATED TP KIDNAPPED
• MARVEL SUPERHERO SQUAD #4
• MARVELOUS LAND OF OZ #2
• MIGHTY AVENGERS #32
• MS MARVEL #48
• NAOKI URASAWA 20th CENTURY BOYS v.5
• NEXT ISSUE PROJECT #2 SILVER STREAK
• NOLA #2
• NOMAD GIRL WITHOUT A WORLD #4
• OFFICIAL INDEX TO MARVEL UNIVERSE #12
• OKKO CYCLE OF EARTH #3
• OLYMPUS TP v.1
• OUTSIDERS #25 *BLACKEST NIGHT*
• POWER GIRL #7
• PROJECT SUPERPOWERS CHAPTER TWO #4
• PS238 #42
• PUNISHER FRANK CASTLE MAX TP DOWN IN BAYOU
• REALM OF KINGS INHUMANS #2 *REALM OF KINGS*
• ROBERT E HOWARD THULSA DOOM #4
• ROCKETEER COMPLETE COLLECTION HC
• ROCKETEER COMPLETE COLLECTION HC DELUXE EDITION
• SECRET WARRIORS TP v.1
• SIMON DARK TP v.3
• SIMPSONS COMICS #161
• SPIDER-MAN #1602 #3
• SPIDER-MAN CLONE SAGA #4
• STAR TREK DS9 FOOLS GOLD #1
• STAR WARS THRAWN TRILOGY HC
• STREET FIGHTER II TURBO #10
• SULLENGREY SACRIFICE TP
• SUPERGIRL #48
• SUPERMAN/BATMAN #67 *BLACKEST NIGHT*
• TALES OF TMNT #65
• THOR TP AGES OF THUNDER
• THUNDERBOLTS PREMIERE HC WIDOWMAKER
• THUNDERBOLTS #139
• TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED TP v.12
• TRANSFORMERS BUMBLEBEE #1
• ULTIMATE COMICS ARMOR WARS #3
• UNCLE SCROOGE #386
• UNDERGROUND #4
• UNKNOWN DEVIL MADE FLESH #3
• VENGEANCE OF MOON KNIGHT #4
• VIXEN RETURN OF THE LION TP
• WHAT IF DAREDEVIL  VS ELEKTRA
• WORLD OF WARCRAFT SPECIAL #1
• X-FACTOR #200
• X-FORCE #22 *NECROSHA*
• X-FORCE #22 *NECROSHA* CRAIN VARIANT
• X-INFERNUS TP
• X-MEN LEGACY #230
• YOTSUBA 7 ! GN v.7
• ZOMBIES THAT ATE THE WORLD #7

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #614 *THE GAUNTLET PT 3* CONTINUES THE BEST SPIDER-MAN STORY WE’VE SEEN IN YEARS!

This week, the third part of the GAUNTLET arrives, and we gotta tell you guys… two issues in, and this storyline is already shaping up to be one of the best Spidey arcs we’ve seen. Before I get into talking about what’s to come, let me give everyone the scoop on what the Gauntlet is all about.

Everything You Need To Know About The Gauntlet: The Gauntlet is a big storyline running through the pages of Amazing Spider-man which is essentially being told to re-introduce Spider-man’s most iconic villains, as the new Sinister Six. Each mini-chapter of the Gauntlet is 2-3 issues long, and focuses on not only bringing back and re-vamping the classic villains in Spidey’s Rogues Gallery, but also shows him getting put through the ringer by them. And, since this is happening for the entirety of the storyline, villain after villain, hence the name… The Gauntlet.

The Gauntlet began in Amazing Spider-man #612, which serves as the perfect entry point to jump on with. In other words, if it’s been years since you’ve read Spidey (and I know there’s quite a few of you who have because of all the wackiness of One More Day), then Amazing Spider-man #612 is a great spot to come in.

This first story arc has been focusing on Electro, who we really haven’t seen much of since the early days of the New Avengers. Electro, who is now older, and is seeing his powers become very erratic, has kind of given himself a new meaning in life. First off, it’s been mentioned that his powers are now haywire due to his age and metabolism changing, and becauuse of that, Electro has become a downtrodden shadow of his former self. Secondly, he’s broke, due to losing most of his (ill-gotten) funds in the economic meltdown of 2008. And, now, his anger is being vented at the execs and bankers that were taken care of in the bailout. So, you have this very interesting approach to Electro as a folk hero, a man of the people, being taken. But, he’s still blowing people up with electricity, and of course, Spidey has to stop him. And, that’s what’s made this so interesting because it casts Spidey once again in the role of outsider. The people who see Electro as a sort of working class hero despise Spidey for his interference, and you once again see Spidey in that role of well-intentioned outcast hero that fits him so well.

The third chapter of the Gauntlet ships this week, and then I believe the next villain on the agenda is going to be the Rhino, or Sandman, I can’t recall. Either way, this storyline has been awesome, and has tons of potential to continue to do so.

It’s early enough to still catch up, so if you haven’t already hopped aboard the Gauntlet, we recommend grabbing a copy of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #612, and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #613 to hop aboard.

Click here for a preview of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #614

A BLACKEST NIGHT ENCORE THIS WEEK AT THIRD EYE WITH FOUR BLACKEST NIGHT TIE-IN ISSUES! ADVENTURE COMICS #5BOOSTER GOLD #27, REBELS #11, AND DOOM PATROL #5

Blackest Night has been delivering some high caliber storytelling in the form of the various tie-in issues that carry the Blackest Night banner. And, last month, we saw some killer storylines spark up from the Blackest Night in the pages of books like Booster Gold and REBELS.

Now, before I go any further, let me say that I was totally blown away by how much I enjoyed REBELS. I really wasn’t expecting anything special from it, and had my sights set on Booster as being the coolest of these tie-in issues, but man, REBELS is a good book. I liked the tie-in so much I went back and read the previous issues to the series, and this is an overlooked gem. I’m not even that big of a Legion fan, and I really dig it. C’mon, Brainiac as a Sinestro Corps Member? How cool is that? The story continues this week in the pages of REBELS #11

Another favorite was the recent issue of ADVENTURE COMICS, with the return of SUPERBOY PRIME. Who doesn’t love SUPERBOY PRIME? He’s such an obnoxious bastard, that you can’t help but enjoy seeing him involved in things. Of course, it’s been satisfying seeing Prime getting his butt handed to him by the Black Lanterns, but it’s going to be even more exciting to see how he lashes back at the Black Lanterns. And of course, the fact that Adventure Comics has been kick-ass since issue #1 helps us get exciteda bout this.. I’m sure the fact that Geoff Johns is writing it doesn’t hurt either. Everything continues this week in ADVENTURE COMICS #5

Next up on the agenda isBOOSTER GOLD #27, which picks up the storyline of the Blackest Night tie-in I had most anticipated. The Return of Ted Kord (the original Blue Beetle) as a Black Lantern. Not only do we get to see the ol’ Blue Beetle chomping hearts, but we get some decent character development for the new Blue Beetle. So, we’re eager to see how things get followed up this week in the next part of the Booster Gold Blackest Night tie-in.

And, then finally, the Blackest Night’s effects on Doom Patrol are explored in the pages of this week’s DOOM PATROL #5. Now, to be honest, this and Outsiders were probably my least favorite of the Blackest Night “ring” tie-in books, but I will say that the Kevin Macguire Metal Men back-up story has kept me coming back each month to Doom Patrol. Should be interesting though to see where things go with this next issue of Doom Patrol.

PUNISHERMAX #2 FROM SCALPED WRITER JASON AARON & PREACHER ARTIST STEVE DILLON CONTINUES THE BEST PUNISHER WE’VE SEEN SINCE GARTH ENNIS! HAVEN’T CHECKED IT OUT YET? WE STILL HAVE ISSUE #1 IN STOCK TO HOP ABOARD!

The new PUNISHER MAX series from Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon kicked off with an incredible first issue. Flat out, just from one issue, I can tell that this is the BEST Punisher run I’ve seen since Garth Ennis’s classic 60-issue MAX series. And, I think the fact that Jason Aaron is writing it, has a lot to do with that. Jason Aaron is the man behind what I think is the best Vertigo series hitting the shelves: SCALPED. He brings his hardboiled, gritty true crime sensibilities to the world of the Punisher, and you literally feel as if this story has picked up right where Ennis’s epic Punisher run left off.

Okay, so, lets get to the meat of things, and talk about what PUNISHER MAX is, and what the new PUNISHERMAX series is about. First off…

What’s the difference between PUNISHER MAX and THE PUNISHER?Punisher MAX is a self-contained world, set outside of normal Marvel continuity where the character is treated much differently. The world of Punisher MAX does not have superpowered individuals, and in fact, it’s very rare that Marvel characters show up in this world. When they do show up, it’s always characters that are easily grounded in reality. In other words, you’ll see a Cold War warhorse like Nick Fury, smoking a cigar and drinking scotch. The world of PUNISHER MAX is very much rooted in reality, and the thing that makes it so damn unique is it’s approach to the character of the PUNISHER. A lot of this is due in part to Garth Ennis’s development of the character. In Punisher MAX, the Punisher is portrayed like a hybrid mix of the classic remorseless stranger (ala MAN WITH NO NAME from the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, ect) and borderline sociopaths on a mission like Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver. He’s written as a man who served in Vietnam, and it shows that he’s in his 50s. He’s a bulky, scarred up, ugly man who says very little, and kills without a second thought. And, in the world of PUNISHER MAX, it’s the silent killer persona that’s helped bring the Punisher back from the lameness of ’90s Punisher (you know, when he was running around with rocket launchers, jetpacks, and demon-killing shotguns).

In the world of Punisher MAX, there’s no supervillains, just real-life bad guys. So, it means that you see Castle going up against everything from the Mafia (whether it’s the classic Italian Mob, the Irish Mob, or the Russian Mob) to corrupt CIA officials to ENRON.

So, what’s the story then on this new PUNISHER MAX series? Well, the first issue provides one of the best jumping on points for a new series that I’ve seen in a while. Whether you fell off of Punisher MAX with the end of Ennis’s run, have never read a Punisher story in your life, or have been following the book between the end of Ennis’s run and now, Aaron’s first issue was a well-written entry point. The basic plot, other than the back to basics approach of returning to the spirit of Ennis’s stuff, is the introduction of The Kingpin (Wilson Fisk) to the MAX world.

In the first issue, we see the remnants of the Mafia gathering to figure out what to do as their empire slowly crumbles, and the Punisher is one of the biggest contributing factors. It turns out that a low-level enforcer, that’s not a “made” guy, has come up with the plan of having a figurehead, a kingpin, put into place to give the Punisher something to gun for. You know, taking the whole old school mafia myth about a boss of bosses to an extreme. And of course, that figurehead, would be this young enforcer. I think you can see where this is going.

Stand-out moments from the first issue? The Kingpin popping a guy’s eyes out of his head. Said guy shoving his eyes back into his head, and then getting his head blown off right as he says “I can almost see..”. And, of course, that killer last shot of the Kingpin passing up the perfect opportunity to take out the Punisher, which clues us into his true motives.

This week, the second issue comes out, and it continues the storyline, and as you guys can tell, I’m excited about this one. If you haven’t checked it out already, I’d highly recommend giving it a read.

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #21 *STARK DISASSEMBLED CHAPTER 2* CONTINUES THE MUST-READ IRON MAN STORY OF THE DECADE! NEED TO CATCH UP? WE STILL HAVE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #20 *STARK DISASSEMBLED CHAPTER 1* IN STOCK!

It’s been no secret that ever since Fraction and Larocca relaunched the Armored Avenger in Invincible Iron Man, I’ve been a fan. This entire run has been a solid as hell, and I’m telling you guys… if you haven’t been reading Iron Man, then now is the time to start. Invincible Iron Man #20 served as the perfect jumping on point for new readers, and judging from how a lot of you who picked it up (without having read prior issues), I’d say that it was a pretty big hit with you guys. And, I’m glad, because some books are so damn good, they deserve to be read. But, the new arc that began two weeks ago in Invincible Iron Man #20 is something that anyone with even the slightest interest in ol’ Shellhead should be reading.

Lets recap real quick, and get you those of you who haven’t started reading the book yet up to speed… Tony Stark, a fugitive under Norman Osborn’s reign, finally gives in, and pretty much turns himself into a vegetable to keep Osborn from getting what’s in his brain. And, now, it’s up to his friends and associates (ranging from Pepper Potts to Bucky Captain America) to bring him back…. IF they want to. See, that’s where the first chapter of this was so interesting. Tony Stark, has pre-recorded a hologram message and left it inside the Iron Woman armor, and in it, he talks about the last half a decade of Marvel history, more or less. He talks about the Civil War, the Secret Invasion, and he says… this is how you can bring me back, but after everything, DO YOU WANT TO? And, then comes three of the most heartfelt funnybook pages I’ve read, Third Eye Faithful. Tony Stark comparing Thor and Captain America to a higher power, and then breaking into a defiant speech of how to topple the reign of Osborn… it’s not often that sequences are written so well that they move you, but, man, that was a moving moment. Of course, aside from the standout moment of “the speech”, there’s a very interesting subplot with Madame Masque making plans to have Stark’s comatose body exterminated. And, all of this, serves as a very nice prelude to the events of SIEGE (which is said to have one major goal of reuniting the Marvel Trinity of Cap, Thor, and Iron Man).

Anyways, that brings us up to speed on Stark: Disassembled, and now we can talk about what we think might be going down in this week’s issue. See, Tony’s closest friends, allies, and loved ones have all banded together to bring the man back… but, now the question is, does he want to come back? All of this, AND, a hit squad sent to execute the nearly-gone body of Tony Stark, means that this should be one hell of an action-packed issue.

So, folks, if you’re Marvel fans, and aren’t already reading the Invincible Iron Man, we really recommend giving picking up INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #20, which serves as an excellent jumping on point to the series and this new story arc. Find out why month in, and month out, this is one of the most consistently high quality ongoing series Marvel has going. Same writer, same artist, for nearly two years… that’s gotta tell you something!

And, for those of you that picked up Invincible Iron Man #20 a couple weeks ago and loved it, be sure to check out:

Invincible Iron Man Volume 1: The Five Nightmares Trade Paperback (in stock now at Third Eye)
Invincible Iron Man Volume 2: World’s Most Wanted (in stock now at Third Eye)

And, we have all the single issues that pick up after the second trade too, for those of you who can’t get enough of Fraction’s incredible take on the Armored Avenger.

Clickhere for a preview of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #21 *STARK DISASSEMBLED PT 2*

NATION X #1 DELIVERS EVERY FRIGGIN X-MAN YOU COULD THINK OF AND THEN SOME!

Whether it’s heavy-hitters like Wolverine and Colossus or fan-favorites like Magik and Nightcrawler, it looks like everyone’s crawling out of the woodwork for this four issue limited series that’s going to explore the brand new mutant nation that’s been created on UTOPIA.

The preview pages on this one look sharp, and while I have a love/hate relationship with the X-Books, I gotta admit the X-Fan in me is excited to check this one out. Sometimes you just want to see all your favorites from back in the day crammed into one slab of awesomeness, and judging from the cover alone, we’re definitely going to get that.

NEW AVENGERS ANNUAL #3 – HAWKEYE GETS RESCUED FROM OSBORN BY THE LADIES OF THE NEW AVENGERS!

This one-shot Annual issue of the New Avengers is awesome for two reasons: A) it picks up where DARK REIGN THE LIST AVENGERS one-shot left off, with Hawkeye being locked down and on the list of execution by Norman Osborn, and B) it’s got the rarely seen interior artwork of the incredibly talented artist Mike Mayhew.

Seriously though, I think we’ve all been waiting to see how ol’ Clint Barton was going to end up after the events of DARK REIGN THE LIST AVENGERS, and it’s nice to see some closure to that story in this issue.

The plot? Basically, since most of the Avengers are all left with their handsfull, the ladies of the Avengers have banded together to break into Osborn’s fortress, and break Hawkeye (Clint Barton) free.

And of course, it’s written by Bendis, so you know it’s going to be up to that same level of quality that we get every month with the New Avengers.

Click here for a preview of NEW AVENGERS ANNUAL #3! Just take a look at how awesome the interior art looks too!

X-NECROSHA: THE GATHERING ONE-SHOT EXPLORES THE ORIGINS OF THE BLACK QUEEN’S HIT SQUAD… AND ANSWERS THE QUESTION: HOW IS BLINK ALIVE?

The stuff that Kyle and Yost have been doing with X-Force for the last few years has been incredible. They’ve really carved out a corner of the Marvel Universe where good stand alone X-stories are told, and still give you the doses you want out of your favorite characters.

It’s kind of unfortunate that their event, Necrosha, bears some resemblances to the biggest storyline happening right now, because it really has been a good read. We know, both stories feature characters returning from the dead as vengeful messengers of death, but that’s where the similarities end. Necrosha is much more of an X-Men story, which brings us mutants and characters we have not seen in over a decade.

Dropping this week, we’ll be seeing the Necrosha: Gathering one-shot which delves into the origins of the Black Queen’s death squad, and of course, reveals just what Blink (the fan favorite from Exiles and Age of Apocalypse) is doing a live.

If you were a fan of the X-Books in the ’90s, do youreslf a favor and try Necrosha, it’s the perfect storyline to come aboard the X-Force book with.

Clickherefor a preview of NECROSHA: THE GATHERING

DEADPOOL #18 *DEADPOOL JOINS THE X-MEN PT 3!*  – NATION X TIE-IN

Everyone’s favorite wise-cracking mass-murdering mercenary continues his trials and tribulations of finding a place where he belongs. Seriously though, the whole Deadpool joins the X-Men story arc that’s been going down the last couple of issues has been one of the best arcs in the series since he threw down with Bullseye. The fact that Paco Medina has returned to the art chores on this arc is probably a big contributing factor to why it’s been so good.

Of course, Deadpool’s ongoing series is always strong stuff, and lets be real: it’s hard to say no to more Deadpool. He’s the fourth-wall breaking, schizo-madman that we’ve all come to know and love.

So anyways, Cyclops has let ol’ Deadpool play ball, but instead of giving him the keys to the kingdom, he’s had Domino monitoring him in San Francisco. Of course, Deadpool’s been up to no good all along, or has he? Either way, it looks like some serious bad mojo is going down, and he’ll be at the center of it.

If you missed out on Deadpool 16, or 17, worry not, cause we still have ‘em in stock for you to catch up!

DARK X-MEN #2 “THE RETURN OF NATE GREY!”- A SURPRISE HIT! THE FIRST ISSUE OF THIS LIMITED SURPRISED US BIG TIME, AND NOW WE’RE STOKED TO SEE THE SECOND!

Anyone remember X-MAN? If you’re like me, and grew up in the ’90s devouring every X-Men comic that came your way, then the adventures of Nate Grey were a prominent fixture in your life. It seems like with a lot of us when we’re young, we’re brought into comics by prominent comic events. For me, it was Age of Apocalypse, and when that ended… all I had was X-Man to give me my AoA fix, but hell, I dug it. And, I’m pretty damn stoked to see the return of Nate Grey.

It doesn’t hurt that the first issue of Dark X-Men really knocked it out of the park. I think this one flew under the radar for a lot of you, probably due to the overload of Dark Reign stuff, but trust me, it’s actually a really good read.

Dark X-Men #1 did a good job of moving things forward in the whole idea of a team of mutants working under Osborn’s employ. But, the book focuses less on the whole Dark Reign aspect of things, and Osborn, and more on the actual idea of a team composed of rogue mutants, and some very memorable faces that we haven’t seen in quite some time. Don’t get me wrong, the idea of a book like Dark X-Men could be easily exploited as a cheap one-trick pony, but the talented creative team of Cornell and Kirk pulled it off in a very refreshing way.

Anyways, the team is composed of Mimic, Mystique, and Weapon Omega, oh, and of course, Dark Beast (another Age of Apocalypse favorite). Cornell manages to put a fun, fresh spin on each of the characters, and gives what could be a very lame line-up (I mean, c’mon, when Mystique is your big name, that’s not exactly an all-star supersquad), an awesome approach. Their’s a great sense of humor at the core of the book, and it’s the genuine ineptitude of the characters and their difficulty functioning as a team that makes the book such a refreshing read. Leonard Kirk’s expressive artwork really does add a lot, and I think if the book had been done by anyone other than this duo, it could’ve been “just another Dark Reign” book.

Oh, and, of course… this issue, we get to see them going up against Nate Grey, the X-Man. As I said above, I have a soft spot for this character, and I’m really glad to see such a cool character getting tossed back into the spotlight.

Great team dynamics, bigger than life craziness. Give Dark X-Men a shot, if you’re an X-Fan at all, or if you just enjoy a fun, quirky trip into the Marvel Universe. We still have plenty of #1 in stock, so try it out.

Click here for a preview of DARK X-MEN #2

GOD COMPLEX #1 DELIVERS AN INTERESTING TAKE ON THE GREEK GODS OF MYTH LIIVING AMONG US IN MODERN TIMES! FROM “POWERS” CO-CREATOR MICHAEL AVON OEMING

Here’s one that sports a truly neat concept: What happens when you’re the son of Zeus, and Zeus wants you dead? You go into hiding amongst the world of mortal man. This is the story of Apollo, you know, the Greek God, and how he’s sought out refuge in the world of man.

Of course, Apollo’s pops, Zeus, and the other Greek Gods are looking to bring some serious death down on him, so this could make things problematic.

I haven’t gotten a whole lot of information on this one, other than the core concept, but the preview pages look cool, and the fact that Michael Avon Oeming is involved is a big plus (Powers is one of my personal favorites.)

It looks like this little take on the world of Greek gods, and monsters could be a fresh, new Image book worth checking out.

Click herefor a peek at a preview ofGOD COMPLEX #1

BRAND NEW VERTIGO SERIES, DAYTRIPPER, BEGINS THIS WEDNESDAY FROM UMBRELLA ACADEMY ARTIST GABRIEL BA

Daytripper looks pretty damn cool. Kinda trippy, and definitely one of those Vertigo books that it’s hard for me to distill into a few words. But, the fact that we’re getting Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon (two up and coming creators who deliver the goods on everything from the cult favorite CASANOVA to the mega-hit UMBRELLA ACADEMY) heading up this brand new original limited series, it tells us this one could be a really good read.

This is the story of Bras De Oliva Domingos, an obituary writer with a famous father, a career he hates, and tons of questions about life. How does he reach his goal of becoming a successful writer? How does he get out of his father’s shadow? But these questions are nothing to the giant surprise twist in his life that he sees at the end of the first issue. Something that us, or him, will never see coming.

Sounds pretty cool? Check out the preview ofDAYTRIPPER #1 by clickinghere.

STAFF PICKS

Trish – The Sword #20 – STILL my favorite book! They might be slow in coming out, but each issue is better than the last!

Torma – Fall of the Hulks Alpha - Total mayhem! A great look at all the different “scientist”-type characters of the Marvel Universe. From the obvious (Dr. Doom) to the obscure (Egghead). Awesome start to this mini-event.

Steve – SIEGE: THE CABAL #1 – I know its the biggest one of last week, but the set-up in this issue for SIEGE has me stoked. I am a big time Avengers fan, and every page, and every panel of this one has me stoked.